Statehood Comparison
Geography

California vs Utah: Statehood

California became a state before Utah.

California flag
California
CA • West
Winner
September 9, 1850 (#31)
When the state was admitted to the Union and its admission order.
Utah flag
Utah
UT • West
January 4, 1896 (#45)
When the state was admitted to the Union and its admission order.

Visual Comparison

California September 9, 1850 (#31)
Utah January 4, 1896 (#45)

Related Context

Historical Context

The statehood order mirrors westward expansion and regional settlement history.

Metric
California
Utah
Capital
Sacramento
Salt Lake City
Population
39,538,223
3,271,616
Land Area
163,696 sq mi
84,897 sq mi
State Color
Solid Blue
Solid Red

What This Means

California vs Utah: Statehood in context

California has a statehood of September 9, 1850 (#31), compared with January 4, 1896 (#45) in Utah. When the state was admitted to the Union and its admission order.

California
September 9, 1850 (#31)
Utah
January 4, 1896 (#45)

People Also Ask

California vs Utah Statehood — Common Questions

Q What is California's statehood?

California's statehood is September 9, 1850 (#31).

Q What is Utah's statehood?

Utah's statehood is January 4, 1896 (#45).

Q Which state has a lower statehood — California or Utah?

California became a state before Utah.

More Comparisons: California vs Utah

Grouped tabs keep the deep-dive links tighter and easier to scan.

Land Area Highest Point Capital City Region
Full Comparison

Explore Each State

California flag California Symbols Utah flag Utah Symbols Compare Other States

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.